sliding doors
by Waffles Of Doom
Summary: "Are you happy Benson? And keep in mind, you can't lie to me." After years of nothing, Sam finds herself back in Freddie Benson's life, and well, his perfect little life isn't as perfect as it seems. / future fic.
1. one

**one.**

"Thanks for doing this Sam." Jack said as they got out of their taxi, heading for the brightly lit restaraunt across the street.

"I'm only doing this so I can make fun of all the nubs you work with." Sam shrugged.

"Yeah, we finally get to meet the poor guy who actually married the Crazy Bitch tonight." Jack said. "I want to give him a voucher for some intensive therapy."

"I bet she's paying him to be married to her." Sam grinned, tugging her coat around her. It was early January, and _damn _was it freezing cold. Whatever complaints she had about Seattle, it was colder in New York in the winter.

"Probably." Jack said. "Is it too late to back out of this?"

Sam wrinkled her nose. "We could make a run for it. But then we wouldn't get to spend the evening with the bunch of idiots you call your co-workers, would we?"

"Hey, no need for the sarcasm!" Jack said. "A job's a job Puckett. I just need something to pay the rent until some middle aged, super rich, Upper East side divorcee decides to make me their trophy husband, and then I can spend the rest of my life squandering her money and-"

"Having passionate gay love affairs?" Sam finished with a smirk.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Sounds like you want your life to turn out like a bad romance novel."

"Its time to get worried when I aspire to have my life turn out like Fifty Shades of Grey." Jack said, pausing at the front door. "This place looks expensive."

"Good." Sam said. "I think I can give your company a nice big bill. Lobster sounds good right now."

"I knew there was a reason we were friends."

"You're just hanging onto me for the fame." Sam said. "I'm a junior show runner now Allen, soon enough I'll be running the **world.**"

"I don't doubt you will." Jack said. "Sheer determination and the butter sock are all you need."

"Hey, I retired the butter sock." Sam said, passing her coat to the overly chirpy waiter. It took everything she had not to just reach out, and slap him or something. Chirpy waiter's had always annoyed her, and well, old habits died hard, didn't they?

"You look hot." Jack commented.

"I know." Sam grinned. "So do you."

"Y'know, we'd be the perfect couple, don't you think?"

"One small problem," Sam said. "You're gay."

"Small details." Jack laughed. "Ugh, everyone's already here. Just wait, she's going to lecture me on punctuality..."

Sam stopped listening to Jack as she noticed who exactly the 'crazy bitch' was. Standing in front of her was Alexis Johnson, Freddie's _wife. _Her unmistakable, slightly nasal voice carried through the room, and Sam was flooded with memories of Freddie's wedding, over six years ago.

Since had had married Alexis, Freddie had fallen out of contact with pretty much everyone. Carly hadn't spoken to him since she herself had gotten married a year after Freddie, and the last time Sam had spoken to him, he was going on a business trip to Italy for two months.

God, that had to be at least four years ago.

"Jack, you finally made it." Alexis greeted, her tone disdainful. "Who's this- oh, Sam Puckett?"

"So good to see you again Alexis." Sam said, smiling, her teeth gritted. She noticed someone behind Alexis turn around as she said her name, and as they turned around fully, Sam found herself looking at Freddie Benson.

Freddie freaking Benson.

He hadn't changed in the four or so years since she'd last seen him. He looked a bit older maybe, his forehead creased with lines that had never been there before. But, he was still the same old Freddie Benson as he gave her that familiar smile, greeting her brightly.

"Sam! What are you doing here?"

"Keeping Jack company." Sam jerked her thumb toward her friend. "You remember Jack, right? We were roommates in college."

"Oh yeah!" Freddie nodded. "With that other girl, whats her name again? Anna?"

"Got it in one Benson." Sam said. "Its been a while, huh?"

"Too long." Freddie said. "I'm sorry for loosing touch Sam, things have been pretty hectic."

Of course things were pretty hectic Last time Sam had spoken to Freddie, he had been quickly working his way up the ranks of the Pear Company. Heck, she half expected him to be the CEO after four years. His nubbiness, however annoying, made him damn good at his job.

Before she could voice this out loud, Alexis called for everyone to sit down. Much to Sam's annoyance, she ended up at the opposite end of the table to Freddie, sitting next to some overly chatty blonde chick who was going to get a fork in her neck if she didn't stop talking about spa treatments.

Jack owed her big time for this.

The night moved painstakingly slowly, Sam slouching in her seat as Jack's coworkers and their significant others chatted around her. Their voices started to form a low, annoying buzz as she tuned out, her thoughts turning to work.

Sam loved her job. She never thought she'd say that, but Sam loved her job. She was on the writing team of a hugely successful TV show, the Abnormals, based around the lives of a group of friends in New York. Despite the cliche premise, the show itself was pretty brilliant- she was biased, of course, but Sam Puckett wouldn't work on anything that was crap.

She half listened to Jack as he nudged her, trying to bring her into the conversation, the rest of her thoughts on the storylines they were coming up with for season four. That was of course, until she noticed Freddie.

He was sitting back in his chair, completely silent. Alexis was paying absolutely no attention to him, and they were a far cry from the couple that couldn't keep their hands off each other on their wedding day.

Freddie looked as bored as she felt.

She looked as he scraped back his chair, announcing he was going to go to the bar, Alexis waving his comment off.

"I'm going to go get a drink," Sam said, sensing her opportunity to talk to him. "You want anything?"

"A gun to shoot myself in the head with." Jack hissed.

"Vodka it is." Sam said, putting her napkin on the chair, and heading for the bar. Freddie was leaning against the bar, the white shirt he was wearing tight around the muscles had oh so obviously not lost in the years since she had last seen him.

"Sup Benson." Sam said, joining him. "Two vodka and cokes please." She ordered.

"Tonight that bad?"

"Absolutely." Sam grinned. "But one of them's for Jack."

"So you and Jack are together?"

Sam snorted. "As if. Jack's _gay _Freddie."

"Really?" Freddie raised an eyebrow. "I'd never have guessed."

"Yeah, he's _really_ straight. That's exactly why he oogled your muscles every single time you stayed over at our apartment."

"And now I can never look at him the same way again." Freddie joked.

"You're not really his type." Sam grinned.

"I am married.."

"Oh, that's not why. Jack's not against breaking up a marriage." Sam shrugged. "Anyway, how are you? I bet you're pretty much in charge of the Pear Company by now."

"You'd loose that bet." Freddie said, swirling the golden liquid of his drink around. "I don't have a job."

"What? Oh, come on, you can't honestly say that the Pear Company fired you, of _all _people."

"They didn't. They begged me to stay, actually." Freddie said.

"So why haven't you got a job?"

"You're going to laugh."

"Probably, but go on."

Freddie looked at her, smiling nervously. "I'm a stay at home dad."

"A stay at home.. Wait, _dad_? You have a kid? You very conveniently forgot to tell us that!" Sam said, punching his shoulder. "What the hell Benson? Why didn't you tell us you and Alexis had a kid? Carly is going to _kill _you. She's always wanted one of us to have kids so Harry and Jennifer would have someone to hang out with."

"Wait, Carly has two kids?"

"Yeah, Spencer has three and Gibby's girlfriend person is pregnant. That happened." Sam said. "Stop trying to avoiding the question! Why didn't you tell us?"

"Like I said," Freddie said. "Things have been hectic."

"Too hectic to type out a quick email informing us you had a _kid_?" Sam said. "Oh, you are so lucky I'm not pinning you to the floor and beating the living crap out of you right now."

"Why aren't you?" Freddie asked, his tone teasing.

"Because I can see my lobster coming, and even you being an idiot doesn't get between mama and her food." Sam said, eyeing up the plate one of the waiters was carrying.

"Nothing much has changed then." Freddie said, looking over at the table. "We better go back," He said, picking up his drink.

"I'm not done with you yet Benson." Sam said. "Is it a girl or a boy?"

"Girl." Freddie said. "Cara. She's four."

"You kept that secret well hidden." Sam gave his shoulder another punch. "We should meet up. I want to meet your mini nub," She grinned.

"You'll love her." Freddie said, laughing. "She's as stubborn as you."

"I've never even met the kid and I've influenced her, nice one." Sam joked. "Do you still have the same number?"

"No, I got a new one." Freddie shook his head. "Do you still have the same number?"

"Yup." Sam confirmed. "Text me tomorrow, and we can go for coffee or something."

Freddie nodded. "Sounds good."

"Now, I'm going to go and eat enough lobster to put your wife's company into debt." Sam grinned, patting her stomach.

"I don't doubt that you'd be able to." Freddie said as they walked toward the table. "The lobster here is really good. So's the steak."

"And _everything _tastes better when someone else is paying for it." Sam said, smirking. "I'll talk to you in a while Benson. Like I said, I'm not done with you!"

"I look forward to it Puckett."

Sam nodded, and she headed for her seat next to Jack, setting one of the vodka's down in front of him.

"You are the best." Jack said, slugging half of it down in one go.

"I'm aware." Sam said, sitting down, her mouth practically watering as she took in the lobster on the plate in front of her. It did look pretty good.

She looked across the table as Freddie sat down, Alexis giving him a glare as he did so, whispering something to him, annoyed.

There was something up with Freddie, Sam concluded, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

He might be a nub, but he was her nub. And well, she cared, didn't she?

"You okay?" Jack nudged.

"Yup." Sam nodded. "Lets eat!"

/

**Author's Note; **Somehow, this fandom keeps sucking me back in, and I've been writing nothing but iCarly recently. I like future fic, and thus this was born. The title is taken from the Olly Murs song Sliding Doors (_it's really good, listen to it!) _and yeah. Feedback is much appreciated!


	2. two

**two.**

Sam groaned as her phone vibrated loudly, rousing her from her sleep. She had been having a great dream and everything..

Blindly, she felt around on her beside locker until her hand came into contact with her phone. Squinting, she unlocked the screen and saw she had a message from an unknown number.

_Hey Sam, its Freddie. I was wondering if you were free today? _

Sam typed out a quick reply, flopping face down on her pillow as soon as she had. One thing hadn't changed about the nub- he was still a morning person. No one's spelling should be that good before one in the afternoon.

Ever.

Freddie's reply buzzed through a few minutes later.

_Great! I was going to take Cara to that little Italian place a couple of blocks over from the main NYU campus for lunch, do you remember it?_

Sam smiled. Of _course _she remembered that place. It was the restaurant she had gone to practically every Friday with Carly and their college friends (_and Freddie, when he visited New York instead of staying at MIT for the weekend.)_

Carly insisted they go there every time she came to visit Sam in the city, and it had been way too long since Sam had eaten their _incredible _gnocchi.

_**course i remember it, do u know me at all benson? what time will i meet u there?**_

_i was thinking two? cara just ate a giant bar of chocolate without me knowing so she wont be hungry for another while._

_**i like this kid already. two's perfect, gives me time to go back to sleep.**_

_you really haven't changed, have you? see you later puckett_

Sam jammed her phone into its dock after she read Freddie's message, hitting shuffle. Music started to pump through the speakers, and she forced herself to sit up. She was so, _so _tired.

And hungover.

That was the last time she went to any of Jack's work functions to keep him company, because the amount of alcohol she'd drank in an attempt to keep herself from murdering the stupid blonde chick that sat next to her all night _had _to have been seriously unhealthy.

Running a hand through her unruly curls, Sam dragged herself out of bed, padding toward the bathroom. As she pulled her pyjama top over her head, realisation hit her.

She was going to meet Freddie's kid.

She was going to meet Freddie's kid in less than two hours.

Kids and Sam didn't exactly get along.

"Oh god."

/

Sam pushed open the door of Antonio's, stepping into the familiar surroundings. It was a family run place, and Ant, the owners son, greeted her brightly as she entered.

"Sam! Long time no see. How are you?"

"I'm good kid." Sam said. "How's school going?"

"You seriously haven't been here in a while Sam," Ant grinned. "I'm halfway through my first eyar at NYU."

"Who said you're allowed to grow up on me?" Sam said. "You liking it?"

"Loving it." Ant confirmed. "Don't think dad's quite gotten his head around me majoring in English, he still thinks I should take over the restaurant."

"Hey, if your dad ever gives this place up, _I'll _make you take over." Sam said. "I can't leave without the epic meatballs."

"Good thing I can't live without them either." Ant laughed. "You need a table?"

"Nah, I'm meeting a friend, and I'm late, so he's probably already here."

"Oh, the guy with the kid?"

Sam nodded. "Freddie."

"Oh, that's Freddie? Wow, he's changed." Ant said. "He has a _kid?_"

"I was as surprised as you were." Sam said wrly. "Where's he sitting?"

Ant jerked his thumb left. "Last table by the window."

Sam took one of the menu's he was holding. "Have fun feeding the masses."

Ant rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll cherish every second. I expect some spoilers for the next season of the Abnormals if I give you extra garlic bread!"

"Dream on." Sam called back, laughing to herself as she weaved her way through the quiet restaurant. Ant was a good kid.

It didn't take her long to find Freddie's table, and she flopped down across from him, slamming her menu down.

"Yo yo." He greeted, his grin reminiscent of a teenage Freddie.

"Afternoon nub." Sam said.

"Glad to see your sense of timekeeping hasn't changed." Freddie grinned.

"I turn up to things on time when I want to be there." Sam shrugged.

"Hey!"

"Like you said Benson, I haven't changed." Sam stuck out her tongue at him. "So where's the mini nub?"

"_Cara," _Freddie said pointedly. "Is playing in the ball pit."

"What, you're actually letting her play in somewhere so full of _germs_?"

"Haha." Freddie rolled his eyes. "I'm not my mom."

"That's surprising." Sam smirked. "Anyway, you should know how bad that ball pit actually is."

"..."

"Remember?" Sam prodded. "Barry and that weird chick who was majoring in geology were really drunk one night and started-"

"Cara!" Freddie yelled, Sam not even needing to finish her sentence. "Cara honey, can you go wash your hands?"

"Is food ready?" A tiny voice responded, drifting through the otherwise silent restaurant.

"It'll be here soon." Freddie confirmed.

"Yay!"

"What do you mean it'll be here soon?" Sam asked as Freddie turned his attention back to the table.

"I ordered already." Freddie shrugged.

"What am I supposed to do then?" Sam began, annoyed.

"Sam." Freddie interrupted. "I ordered for you too."

Sam raised an eyebrow, her expression threatening.

"I think I know you well enough to know that you'd order the spaghetti with meatballs."

"Extra meatballs?"

"Extra meatballs."

Sam's face softened. "Good nub."

"Hey, I have my uses."

"Daddy."

Freddie turned sideways as Cara appeared, her face solemn. "Yeah honey?"

"I'm hungry." She said simply.

Freddie laughed. "The food will be here soon, I promise. Anyway, there's someone I want you to meet first," He said, lifting her up easily, and sitting her down next to him. "Cara, this is my friend Sam I was telling you about. Say hi for me?"

Cara beamed across the table at Sam, her light brown hair neatly tied back off her face in a flower covered scrunchie. The hair was Alexis', a shade or two lighter, maybe, but definitely Alexis'.

She looked a lot like Alexis, if she was being honestly. Almost everything, except for the eyes. Cara's eyes were the same gorgeous, chocolatey brown Freddie's were, and were equally as expressive as his.

"Hi Sam!" Cara said, her nose crinkling as she grinned.

"Hi Cara." Sam said, smiling herself. It wasn't her fault Cara's smile seemed to be instantly infectious! "How are you?"

"Hungry." Cara said pointedly.

"Cara," Freddie laughed. "The food'll be here soon."

"My tummy is talking." Cara said.

"You'll have to tell it to be quiet then, wont you?" Freddie smiled at her. "I think your tummy needs to be patient Cara."

"But it smells nice!" Cara complained. "My tummy can't be patient if it smells nice."

"I agree." Sam said, looking around. "_My _tummy is talking to me."

"Wow, I'm having lunch with two four year olds." Freddie commented, his voice teasing.

"You wish." Sam said. "No four year old could put away the amount of pasta I'm planning on making you buy me."

"Making up for lost time?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright..." Ant arrived at their table, laden down with plates. "Spaghetti and meatballs with extra meatballs.. Sam, obviously."

"You're a good waiter Ant." Sam grinned, her stomach rumbling as Ant set the plate down in front of her.

"Dad seems to think I've lost my calling by _not _becoming a professional waiter." Ant said. "Capellini pomodoro for you Freddie?"

"Mmhm." Freddie nodded.

"And spaghetti bolognese for this little princess." Ant grinned, setting the plate down in front of Cara. "Yell if you want anything else."

Sam nodded, her mouth already full.

"Daddy.." Cara tugged on Freddie's sleeve, her eyes wide.

"Yeah honey?"

".. They're touching."

Freddie barely held back a sigh, Sam looking completely confused.

"Cara's going through a phase where she doesn't want her food touching." Freddie said, giving his daughter a pointed look. "Aren't you sweetheart?"

"They aren't supposed to touch!" Cara started to whine.

"Cara, don't whine." Freddie scolded. "I thought you were going to be a big girl about this?"

Cara was almost tearful. "But I don't like when everything touches daddy!"

"Cara-"

"Can I let you in on a secret?" Sam interrupted, and Cara nodded eagerly. "Everything tastes better when they're touching."

"Really?"

"Mhm." Sam nodded. "See? Everything on my plate is touching, and I'm eating it. So's your dad."

"It really tastes better?"

"Way better." Sam said. "Like.. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream. They _always _taste better together right?"

Cara nodded slowly after a few seconds thought.

"Trust me." Sam said. "Its better."

"Okay." Cara said, and picked up her fork, tentatively scooping up some of her pasta. It took half an eternity for her to actually put the fork in her mouth, her face scrunching up as she did so.

Sam watched as Freddie's face fell, probably readying himself for Cara refusing to eat her lunch - until, of course, her face softened, and she gave them a tomato sauce stained grin.

"Isn't it better?" Sam prodded.

Cara nodded eagerly. "Way better!"

Freddie visibly relaxed. "Sam, you're a lifesaver."

"I'm aware." Sam said, turning her focus to her lunch. God, she was _starving. _For the next ten or fifteen minutes, the only sounds that could be heard were those of three very contented people having lunch.

_Antonio's_, Sam thought to herself as she scraped the last of her lunch into her mouth, letting out a contended burp as she did so, _has to be the best place on the entire planet._

"Done!" Cara said proudly, looking at Freddie, tomato sauce covering her cheeks, and nose, and her hands.

"Cara.." Freddie sighed, barely holding back laughter. "You're meant to eat your lunch, not wear it. Come on, we'll go wash your hands and face."

"I'll do it." Sam found herself saying. "You're still eating."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I need to pee anyway." Sam was instantly regretting her offer, Cara's ever present smile off putting. Kids really didn't like her, and for some reason she was desperate to have the nub's kid actually like her.

"Daddy says you make things for TV." Cara said as they headed for the bathrooms.

"I do make things for TV."

"He says I can't watch it until I'm thirty four." Cara continued. "That's ageeeeees away."

"Mm, I think you could start watching it when you're fourteen."

"That's still ageeeeees away."

"You'll be surprised how fast time goes kid."

Cara looked at Sam. "That's what Daddy says."

"And sometimes your dad is right."

"My daddy's the best."

"Oh yeah?"

Cara nodded furiously. "He always reads me bedtime stories, and he's _always _there to collect me after playschool. Karen's mommy and daddy are never there to collect her, she has a nanny."

"You're lucky then, aren't you?"

"Daddy's good at cooking too!" Cara exclaimed. "He made cheesecake last week."

Making a mental note to tease Freddie for _baking_, Sam nodded. "That sounds nice."

"I like cake." Cara nodded, looking around the bathroom. There was another kid at the children's sink, and she was nowhere near tall enough to reach the other sinks. "Oh." She said quietly, her eyes widening.

"I'll lift you up." Sam said.

Cara nodded. "Thankies."

Sam lifted the tiny girl (_god, she was really small, and __**breakable**__...), _hitting the tap as she did so, letting the water run. Cara happily chattered away as she washed her hands, Sam half listening over the rush of the water.

"You need to wash your hands." Cara said the water shut off.

"Do I?"

Cara nodded. "Nanna Benson says you should."

"Your Nanna Benson says a lot of things.." Sam said under her breath, setting Cara down on the counter.

"I miss Nanna Benson." Cara commented. "I don't miss her food. Its _yucky_."

"That I can agree with." Sam said, shaking the worst of the water off her hands. She looked at Cara, who's face was still covered in tomato sauce. "Your dad will kill me if you come back out looking like that, wont he?"

"Daddy has wet wipes."

"Your dad is a wet wipe." Sam grinned, grabbing a hand towel, wetting it under the tap. She was about to hand it to Cara to clean her face, but when she turned back to the girl, her eyes were squeezed shut, waiting for _Sam _to do it.

_Crap._

Sam hesitantly reached out, wiping at the sauce on Cara's face. "All good." She announced a minute or two later.

"Thankies!" Cara beamed.

Sam raised an eyebrow. Was she supposed to say welcomeies?

She settled for a simple 'you're welcome.' Cara bounded ahead of her as they re-entered the restaurant Freddie standing at the counter talking to Ant. He turned around as they approached, giving Cara a smile as he picked her up.

"Sam said you're a wet wipe." Cara giggled.

"Oh, she did?" Freddie looked at Sam.

"Eh." Sam shrugged. "You are."

"Daddy, can I go play?"

Freddie wrinkled his nose, obviously thinking of what Sam had brought up earlier. "How about we go to the park across the street instead?"

"Okay!"

"Alright, lets go then." Freddie said. "You want to come Sam?"

"You're not getting rid of me that easily Benson." Sam said. "I'm not done with you yet."

"Whats Sam going to do to you?" Cara's eyes widened.

"I'm going to make him buy me ice cream." Sam grinned.

"Ice cream!" Cara squealed. "Daddy, can we get-"

"Honey, it's too cold for ice cream." Freddie said as he zipped up her coat, shooting Sam a half hearted glare.

"But Daddy-"

"A-a." Freddie said, his tone warning. "Tell you what, I'll make you hot chocolate when we go home."

"Okay." Cara nodded. "Can I go play now?" She inquired as they entered the park.

Freddie nodded, setting her down on the ground. "Be careful!" He warned.

"She's cute." Sam said as they watched Cara run toward the playground.

"She's the best." Freddie said. "I'm glad you like her."

"Whats not to like?" Sam grinned. "She's nothing like you."

"Oh, haha."

"She's chatty." Sam said. "She was telling me all about how you're the perfect house husband. You bake and everything!"

"Oh, god, she didn't." Freddie groaned.

"She was telling me **all **about your amazing cheesecake."

"Please stop."

"I have all these images of you in a flowery apron, stirring your cake mix like a good housewife.." Sam teased.

"Sa-am.."

"I'll stop if you make me one."

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"No, but it'd be a start." Sam grinned, flopping down on a bench. "I'm so full."

"Same." Freddie agreed. "I think Antonio's just gets better every time I go there."

"Mm." Sam said. "Anyway, what up with all the secrecy?"

"What do you mean?"

"You never told us about Cara." Sam said. "That's pretty big Frednub. Its not like you just got a new apartment - she's a whole _person_."

Freddie looked thoughtful. "I wish I had an answer."

"Try."

"I can't." Freddie said. "I don't know how to explain it."

"Again, try."

"Things just got hectic, like I said." Freddie shrugged. "Kids take up a lot of time."

"So you didn't get a spare second to send us an email or anything? I'm pretty sure Cara being at pre-k gives you a few hours to yourself."

"I'm sorry Sam." Freddie said. "But, like I said, things have been hectic."

Sam didn't really believe him, but she dropped it - for now. "What do you do with yourself then? Besides bake." She smirked.

"I sold a couple of apps to the Pear Store." Freddie said. "You know Pedantic Panda?"

"I love that game!"

"Yeah, I sold that to the Pear Store a year ago." Freddie said, smiling to himself. "Cara has this panda bear I got her for her birthday, and she makes me put on a funny voice and play games with it.. And thus Pedantic Panda was born."

"That's pretty cool." Sam said.

"Its a couple of codes and some silly panda graphics." Freddie shrugged. "You're the one who's doing really well! I mean junior show runner? Thats amazing."

"Its pretty good."

"I'm unbelievably proud every time I see your name pop up on the credits." Freddie said. "Its really, really good. I knew you could do it."

"You're probably one of the only people who ever did."

"Oh, come on!" Freddie exclaimed. "Anyone who ever watched iCarly had to see that you were born to write comedy."

"You're just trying to sweet talk your way onto set, aren't you?"

"Absolutely." Freddie grinned, but before he could continue, his phone buzzed loudly. His forehead creased as he read the message, locking his phone quickly. "Its been great seeing you Sam, but I need to get going."

"Seriously? Why?"

Freddie didn't seem to hear - or, he chose not to answer. "Cara! Cara sweetheart, we need to get going."

"But Daddy!" Cara started to whine.

"Cara, come on." Freddie said, his voice stern. "We need to go."

"Are you free tomorrow?" Sam inquired.

"I'll have to text you." Freddie said distractedly, waiting for Cara to come over to the bench.

"Just meet me for coffee tomorrow Frednub." Sam rolled her eyes. "After you drop Cara off at pre-k."

"Okay." Freddie said. "Text me where."

Sam nodded.

"See you tomorrow Sam." Freddie still looked distracted as he picked Cara up, his daughter waving goodbye to Sam as they headed for the park exit.

Sam waved back, a smile spreading across her face.

She kinda liked that kid.

/

**Author's Note; **My knowledge of the American school system comes from Google (_its completely different here) _so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about Cara being in pre-k. Thanks a million for the reviews etc., in the last chapter, they mean the world!

Feedback, again, is much appreciated.

**edit: **thank you to DwynArthur for suggesting 'sweet talk' instead of blag. I'm not very good at pretending I can talk like an American thing! xD


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